Nurse Practitioner student

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Any suggestions for NP students having trouble with pharmacology? Any NP students here?

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Specializes in FNP.

Bone up on your biochem and study drugs by classes. Once you know a class, it is a matter of learning the oddities of a few drugs here and there

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First, what concerns are you having?

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Need an easy way to memorize the vast amounts of drugs required. Could use a good resource for mnemonics.

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I used a poster for each class of drug and then purchased stick on note cards to place on the poster and to help sort out the different meds. Include a box on the poster with specifics that are unique to that class along with the main contraindications.

Also, I found a program AFTER my pharm class that I wish I would have known about! Flash My Brain - the natural software for flash card learning. offers wonderful, customizable online flash cards. I think the sign up fee is 25.00 but it is worth it! You can print the cards and use them manually OR you can shuffle them online and study that way. Create your cards according to class. I believe you can now download them to your ipod/touch/phone as well.

You will need to revisit all of this info when you study for your boards, so having them all in one place will be a HUGE time saver for you. This program is a great way to study in small time periods...log on and study "beta blockers" for 10 minutes. The repetition is what will help you both learn AND memorize. Having a poster is also helpful because you can visualize the board.

PS: I do NOT work for flashmybrain, LOL!

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Im trying to get through Pharm myself. The classes of antibiotics are giving me the most trouble for some reason. Epocrates has been helping me enormously in clinicals

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Second thought:

Im in my second semester of NP school, taking Primary Care I and Pharm + over 170 hours of clinic.

Just found out Im pregnant. Not really sure how to handle this one.

Any mothers or expecting NP students out there?

Will I be able to finish and graduate with my class in Dec 2011?

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Specializes in Nurse Practitioner.

getting it out the way when you are pregnant or when you have an infant is ideal. Trust me, I have a 5 and an 8 year old and they miss you way more when they are older. they don't even remember when i was in nursing school (they were toddlers). but now i find it very hard to study at home without them bothering every 5 minutes. (this is my first semester of NP school). I feel very bad for neglecting them, but i have a supportive mom and husband. I keep trying to tell myself that when I become a NP I will be a better mom and wife. (won't be so cranky from the physically and mentally exhausting greatness of bedside nursing and just overall more fullfilled with my career). Not to mention the perks of being able to work normal business hours while still earning a good salary (I'm specializing in FNP and plan on working in a clinic).

Anyway that is just my two cents. Now i have to get back to studying!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Telemetry, Oncology.

I was beginning to think about my class schedule. Now, of course, I'm going part-time, so I will be only taking about 6 or 7 hours at MOST each semester. I've heard HORROR STORIES of taking Adv.Patho & Adv.Pharm at the same time or either of these with Adv. Assessment.

Would anyone RECOMMEND, which classes work best with each other and which to ABSOLUTELY AVOID taking together?

I was thinking of taking theory & adv.assessment (1st semester), then research & adv. patho (2nd semester), and Adv.Pharm & Adv.Nursing Role (3rd semester). What do you think?

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I think your program advisor is the person in the best position to advise you about that. They know what the requirements are for your degree, what is offered each term, what the typical workload is for each course. Discuss with them your schedule, your goals, your strengths/weaknesses etc and they'll help you come up with a program plan. That's their job!

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I was thinking of taking theory & adv.assessment (1st semester), then research & adv. patho (2nd semester), and Adv.Pharm & Adv.Nursing Role (3rd semester). What do you think?

Honestly, those class pairings will make your life much easier. You're basically taking one substance class with one fluff class (which I'm sure is your logic).

Ideally, it the systems covered are synchronous (or nearly so), then combining the "tough" classes into one or two semesters shouldn't be too bad. I.e., if you are covering CV in phys dx same time as CV in path and cardio drugs in pharm. In reality, it doesn't ever seem to line up exactly (didn't for me, phys assessment and patho in same semester).

The other variable would be clinicals. On the one hand, it is tougher to take the real classes along with clinicals. On the other, I'd hate to be in clinical without having at least had assessment and one other class (path or pharm, for me it was path) under my belt.

If your part time schedule has clinicals after the above classes are taken, it probably comes down to whether you want one ouch and over with (assess/path/pharm together, then the three BS classes) or moderate pain over all three semesters (your plan above).

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